Talking About A Carpool is a podcast that helps educate players, parents, and anyone interested in rugby about the game outside of Australia and New Zealand.
We see a gap.
There is a lack of knowledge around rugby beyond the domestic competitions we know well here. Super Rugby. NPC. Even within our own club systems in Australia and New Zealand. We know the Wallabies and the All Blacks very well. But anything outside of that, there is often limited understanding.
We feel that players are not being served well if they do not understand what is available to them. Not just what they can aspire to, but what they can actually access with their talent.
Who We Are
My name is ofahelotu.
My co host on the podcast is Semisi Telefoni, also known as The Wine Chief.
We are simply sharing our rugby experiences.
For me, I started in Australia trying to crack Super Rugby. I was not able to do that, but I did not close the door on the opportunities available to me through my heritage. My parents are Tongan, and I was able to play for Tonga at international level.
That gave me access and leverage to secure contracts overseas.
My first contract was as a medical joker in Glasgow. It was only four months. But those four months turned into five years. Two in England and two in France.
If I had not explored what I was eligible for, my rugby experience may have finished in Australia.
I am very grateful it did not.
Semisi had a similar path. He was in the Auckland system, sitting behind All Blacks. He saw an opportunity to play in the third division in France. He was meant to go for one year. He stayed for twelve.
He played in Pro D2 and Top 14 with clubs including Agen and Carcassonne.
Through those experiences, we are simply sharing what we have learned.
Why We Started It
The rugby experiences we have had have shaped who we are as people.
Yes, if you are good enough and professional in Australia or New Zealand, you want to achieve the dream of playing for the Wallabies or the All Blacks.
But not everyone will fulfil that dream.
And not fulfilling that dream does not mean your rugby journey has to end.
Being able to move onto a different path gave me a richer rugby experience. As a young man in my early twenties, I benefited more from those overseas experiences than I might have if I had stayed home playing professionally.
Many people have had incredible careers playing only in Australia or New Zealand. This podcast is not against that.
This is for the players who feel limited in their options.
For those who are getting older and wondering what is next.
For those in their early twenties who could use that time to go overseas, apply their trade, play rugby, and grow as a person. Even if it is only for six months. That six months can change your perspective. You can bring that experience home and continue your life in rugby from a different position.
These messages are repeated in different ways throughout our episodes.
Where To Find Us
We are still building. We are still refining the message.
But Talking About A Carpool is an outlet for us to share our experiences and help others make better decisions about their rugby careers and aspirations.
You can follow us here:
Instagram and TikTok
@talkingabouta.carpool
YouTube
@talkingaboutacarpool
Email
[email protected]
We would love you to follow along on Spotify as well.
Our aim is simple. To help players and families redirect their aspirations in a way that leads to a more meaningful and fruitful rugby experience.
The game can give you more than you think.
ofahelotu
Semisi Telefoni – The Wine Chief